Combination book mark and loose leaf binder



Feb. 13, 1962 K. R. RIDEN COMBINATION BOOK MARK AND LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Aug. 3. 1959 IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,020,876 COMBINATION BOOK MARK AND LOOSE LEAF BINDER Kenneth R. Riden, 117 Orchard St., Cambridge City, Ind. Filed Aug. 3, 1959, Ser. No. 831,266 2 Claims. (Cl. 116-119) The present invention relates to a combination book mark and loose leaf binder.

Often times a clergyman or public speaker will have notes placed between the pages of his Bible or other book to guide him in the delivery of a sermon or speech. There is the danger of such notes becoming disarranged and out of order and of fluttering to the floor interrupting the smooth flow of the talk and possibly causing embarrassment to the speaker.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a device for snugly mounting additional pages carrying notes or the like within a book as well as to provide a means of firmly securing a book mark to the book.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel combination of a book mark and loose leaf binder.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following de scription and claims:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an open book having mounted therein the combination book mark and loose leaf binder embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional fragmentary view of the book of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2 of that figure in the direction of the arrows and showing the book in a closed condition.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the combination book mark and loose leaf binder of FIG. 1 showing it removed from the book.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral indicates generally a conventional book which includes a plurality of pages 11 connected together by a binding 12. A cover 13 is secured to the binding 12 in such a manner that a space 15 is provided between the binding 12 and the portion 16 of the cover adjacent the binding.

A combination book mark and loose leaf binder is indicated generally by the numeral 20 and comprises a backing strip 21 which may be formed of plastic having an elongated rectangular shape and is received within the space 15. Secured to the lower end 22 of the backing strip 21 is a ribbon 25 which has a length somewhat greater than twice the length of the strip 21 so that the ribbon 25 may be used as a book mark for marking pages of the book 10. The ribbon 25 of the present embodiment is made up of three connected sections, a first section of elastic material, a second section 29 of relatively stiff fabric which acts as a sheath for part of elastic section 36 and a flexible fabric section 31 which functions as the book mark.

Mounted upon the ribbon 25 at the upper end of stiff section 29 is a hook 32 which opens in the direction of the length of the ribbon 25 and toward the proximal end of the ribbon. An elastic thread 35 is secured by one end to the end 22 of the backing strip 21 and extends between pages 11 on the other side of the binding 12 with relation to the backing strip 21. At the distal end of the elastic thread 35 there is mounted a ring or eyelet 36 which is received upon the book 32 whereby the elastic thread 35 is held in a stretched condition in the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. One or more pages 40 carrying notes or other information may be mounted within the book 10 by folding and placing the pages 40 beneath the elastic thread in the manner illustrated.

3,020,876 Patented Feb. 13, 1962 Alternatively, the pages 40 may first be placed in the posi tion illustrated and then eyelet 36 attached to the hook 32 If it is desired to remove the pages 40 from the book or if it is desired to remove the device 20 from the book the book mark section 31 of the ribbon 25 is graspec and pulled upwardly stretching the elastic portion 30 o: the ribbon 25 and raising the hook 32 above the binding 12 to a position wherein the elastic thread 35 pulls the ring 36 downwardly out of the hook. It should be notec' that the elastic portion 30 of the ribbon 25 normally hold: the hook 32 and ring 36 in a concealed position withir the space 15 so that the only visible portions of the device are the book mark portion 31 of ribbon 25 and the elastic thread 35. It can be easily seen that in order for the device to operate properly, the elastic section 30 of the ribbon should have much greater resilience than the elastit thread 35.

It should be noted that the backing strip 21 has curveC portions 4141 at either end so that there will be nc sharp edge to cut the elastic thread and also protect: binding from cutting edge of the thread. Also backing strip 21 is formed at its end 22 with a pair of stubby projections 42--42 which function to retain elastic thread 35 therebetween and prevent the thread from riding up and tearing the pages of the book or pages 40.

Even though the present invention has been showr and described as associated with a conventional book, it should be understood that the invention could be used in such a manner that all of the pages of the book would be loose-leaf and individually removable. Thus a loose leaf binder would be provided which would not be subject to tearing at perforations in the pages and which could be opened wider than certain conventional loose leaf binders.

While the invention has been disclosed and described in some detail in the drawings and foregoing description, they are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, as modifications may readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art and within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In combination a backing strip, a ribbon connected by one end to said strip, said ribbon being capable oi being arranged in an overlying aligned relationship to said strip in which position said ribbon extends beyond one end of said strip, said ribbon having an elastic portion at least a part of which is alongside said strip when the ribbon is in said position and when said elastic portion is contracted, a hook mounted on said ribbon at such a point that, when said ribbon is in said position and when said elastic portion is contracted, said hook is alongside said strip and, when said ribbon is in said position and said elastic portion is extended, said hook is beyond the one end of said strip, said hook opening in the direction of the length of said ribbon and toward the proximal end thereof, an elastic thread connected to said strip, and an apertured member mounted upon a distal end of said thread for connecting the distal end of said thread to said hook, said elastic portion of said ribbon having greater resilience than said elastic thread.

2. In combination, a book including pages, a binding connecting said pages and a cover secured to said binding in such a manner that a space is provided between said binding and the portion of said cover adjacent said binding, a book mark and loose leaf binder comprising a backing strip received within said space and extending along the length of said binding, a ribbon connected by one end to said strip and of suflicient length to be used in marking said pages, and an elastic thread connected by one end to said strip and extending in a stretched relationship between a pair of said pages on the side of said binding away from said strip, said thread being detachably con nected by its distal end to said ribbon, said ribbon having an elastic portion between its proximal end and the distal end of said thread, said elastic portion yieldably housing the distal end of said thread Within said space but being extensible to a position in which said distal end is outside of said space to facilitate detaching said thread from said ribbon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sawyer Oct. 10, 1899 Wireback May 29, 1900 Aray Nov. 15, 1910 Jones July 14, 1953 

